Has anyone ever been to a hackathon?

[Aeolienne]

I've just signed up to this event, which hopefully I'll be able to attend as part of my training & development quota. Otherwise I'll have to use my annual leave allowance. That's what I usually do for attending conferences relating to my interests in sustainable technologies and Internet of Things, as they have no relevance to my current job (more's the pity). This Microsoft event was mentioned under "upcoming events" in our division's weekly newsletter so I presume they're expecting some people to attend. I just wish there were a way of linking up with someone who's gone before. It's time like this that I wish that there were some form of mass communication in our office such as newsgroups or social media. TBH there is a Yammer channel but few people seem to have even heard of it, never mind posted in it.

 

[Theta.G]

If you're bringing your phone or laptop clear off any sensitive data and back up everything else.
Better yet, just don't bring anything that can connect to the internet. lol

 

[Judge]

Never been myself, though our community has them every year sponsored by Microsoft and other corporate entities with the local news media covering them. Always interesting to see what projects the participants collectively come up.

Reno Hackathon attracts talent while raising technology awareness

 

[FreeDiver]

I've been to a lot of hackathons/geekathons and they are a great way to learn all kinds of computer related stuff. Especially the Linux OS. Just be warned. These are very social events with lots of sensory stimulation. So make sure you have an escape plan in place.

 

[Judge]

I've been to a lot of hackathons/geekathons and they are a great way to learn all kinds of computer related stuff. Especially the Linux OS. Just be warned. These are very social events with lots of sensory stimulation. So make sure you have an escape plan in place.

Yeah. The process does seem intense...especially for anyone on the spectrum having to interact with others in such a spontaneous manner. Still, it's neat to see what combined intellects can come up with.

 

[Graphin]

I want to be, never been

 

[johnsmith1981]

I have attended two such events, both corporate. They were cool and yes, they are very social.

Also, the way that the work is done may be a put off in some cases. For example, some hackathons emphasize mob/pair programming as opposed to the more traditional idea of a bunch of coders each with their own laptop banging away at a project.

So be prepared.

Also, you’ll want to be comfortable getting OUT of your comfort zone. If the hackathon project is something you don’t know a lot about be open to learning while at the same time accepting the fact that you will often feel like a fifth wheel in the group.